Find the love of your life

Lonely-hearts backpackers who are heading off around the world on cheap travel holidays in the hopes that they will soon find the one they're meant to spend the rest of their born days with could find the following bit of news fairly cheering.

Thanks to Air New Zealand, if you're alone and looking for love you might not even have to get off the plane in order to find your potential other half. It might sound strange at first but the airline has invited all backpacking singletons to get on board a special matchmaking flight that, apparently, "will have a party atmosphere from take off to landing - and beyond". I think it sounds fantastic! Even if you don't meet the one, you're bound to have a good time trying - although I'm not sure if an initiation into the mile-high club is included in the ticket, so perhaps it's best to keep it clean.

Anyone up for trying to find their soulmate needs to book a seat on the plane leaving Los Angeles and heading to Auckland on October 13th, where you might also get a bit star-struck as Jason Mesnick - of American TV show The Bachelor fame - will be travelling with his girlfriend, who he met on the programme.

Apparently, the whole shebang kicks off with a party at the departure gate, complete with an open bar (excellent) and free party packs, as well as in-flight activities created to help each person locate their ideal partner.

For those already attached and looking for somewhere nice to go, perhaps for a quick romantic getaway, four-day tours to Africa are being put on by Real Gap to help those who may not have as much time on their hands as others.